


an interview with a tiefling

by Nyodrite



Series: what happens in Creyca [4]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: Gen, Interviews
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-27
Updated: 2018-10-27
Packaged: 2019-08-08 05:49:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16423607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nyodrite/pseuds/Nyodrite
Summary: “Moving on then,” She said, laughing. “If you had to change your name, what would your new name be and why would you chose that name?"“Maverick Muffins.” He said at once, then flushed at the look that earned him. “It’s - uh, an inside joke for me and two other people I knew. I don’t think I could really explain - or at least give the story justice - but we decided that, if we needed to use a false name, mine would be ‘Maverick Muffins’. Theirs wereApostate MarmaladeandDissenter Doughnuts.”.aka that time where i did a fake interview for my d&d character





	an interview with a tiefling

“Oh, wow, you’re _huge_.” are the first words that come out of Mordai’s mouth when he enters the room and he _regrets_.

The Aarakocra, though, just laughs and waves him further into the room. “You’re not the first one who said that, your gnomish companion was particularly...enthusiastic about our height difference. But, take a seat and let’s get started Mordai.”

Mordai sits and, because he knows it will bug him if he doesn’t know, asks, “Are you- I mean- what pronouns do you prefer?”

“You’re the second one to ask me that.” He spends a brief moment wondering how the hell it was possible for someone to smile with a _beak_ , though Pestis likely could but it was just a _mask_ -... “My name is Arerrk and I use she/her pronouns. Any other questions before we get started?”

He starts to shake his head then pauses, suddenly curious, “Actually, you said I was the second to ask - who was the first?”

“Adler asked after explaining that they prefer they/them pronouns.” Arerrk explains, taking a seat across from him. “Now, I have a few questions prepared so lets make the most of our time together, yeah? Our first question is - _who would you say is the leader of your group?_ ”

“There isn’t really a leader,” Mordai answers after a moment of thought. “Not really. Part of it is a matter of trust, or its lack, while another is just our personalities I suppose. Take this whole ‘interview with a group of travelers’ thing for example, it wasn’t something that one person suggested that we do. Adler saw the poster and thought it might be fun so they brought it to our attention - it...kind of just _spiraled_?”

“Oh really, and what reason did you choose to go through with the interview?”

“The money.” He answers without hesitation. “There’s a few things that I want to get but can’t afford right now so I figured might as well, it’s certainly less likely to end in serious injury as our regular jobs do.”

“That is as good a reason as any.” She says, “While we are on the topic of money, what are the best and worst purchases you’ve ever made?”

“Oh, um.” Mordai hesitates a moment before answering. “So I would say that the best and worst thing I ever bought was actually the same thing? I commissioned a table once - it could fold up so I could carry it with me when I traveled, it was also enchanted to be more sturdier and fire resistant. It was a good table, really useful when I was camping out and was trying to do a bit of studying.” He winced then. “It was costly though, more then I could really afford to spend at the time, and I _lost_ it on top of that…”

“Oh dear,” Arerrk blinks at him then, thankfully, moves on without further comment. “Let’s move on to our next question: _what’s your biggest screw-up in the kitchen?_ ”

“ _Bread_.” He hissed. “I tried baking bread in a kitchen once, in the oven, and I thought it’d be easy. I know how to make a small loaf of bread with a campfire you know? So I thought cooking bread with an actual _oven_ would be easy.”

“ _Oh_ ,” She says, like she’s struggling not to laugh. “Oh no, what happened?”

Mordai shook his head, “I went to check on it and found the entire thing _on fire_ \- the only good thing is that I already knew Control Flames and could put the fire out before it got serious.”

“Oh my, I suppose cooking on the road doesn’t really translate to cooking in a kitchen.” She said. “As for this next question, my interview with Adler actually gave me the idea to ask. What’s your favorite song?”

“Oh, that - that’s not what I was expecting.” He blinked. “Okay. Um. I don’t know if it’s the actual name for the song but my mom used to sing me a song we called _Beating Heart_.”

Arerrk blinked, “I’m sorry that doesn’t ring any bells for me - maybe the lyrics…?”

_“Walking out into the dark, cutting out a different path, led by a beating heart. All the people of the town cast their eyes right to the ground in matters of the heart. The night was all you had, you ran into the night from all you had. Found yourself a path upon the ground, you ran into the night you can't be found."_ He flushed a bit, singing but went on a few lines more. _"But, this is your heart - can you feel it? Can you feel it? Pumps through your veins - can you feel it? Can you feel it? Summer evening breezes blew, drawing voices deep from you - led by a beating heart."_

“Oh! I didn’t know you could sing, that was lovely!” She said, doing that thing where she smiled through her beak. “I’m sorry to say I don’t know the song, however. As for the next question, if you were an animal which would you want to be?”

“A fox.” He answers immediately. “I saw one when I was younger and I thought it looked kind of cool? When I was a bit older I learned more about them and I still think they’re kind of awesome - I’d have to say my favorite animal is a jackal, however. Spiro would never forgive me otherwise.”

“Spiro’s the name of your familiar, correct? Is that your favorite? What’s your favorite spell?” She clarified.

“Oh, yes, I’d have to say Find Familiar is my favorite.” Mordai smiled slightly as he repeated, “Spiro would never forgive me otherwise.”

“Can’t have that now can we? Next question, do you have any hobbies?”

“I think crafting and tattoo designing would be hobbies,” He answered, shrugging. “If not, since they’re related to my ‘job’ as the wizard given I use magic for them, then I would say cooking is a hobby of mine. I find it relaxing and there’s always a nice reward at the end.”

“You’re a wizard - why’d you choose to learn magic?”

Mordai paused then laughed, “How could I not want to learn magic? It’s kind of amazing and very useful too! A lot of people think that there’s only a ‘set’ amount of spells, but there are new spells being created all the time - did you know that there’s a place in Yaqui _specifically_ for the creation of new spells?”

“I did not, that’s very interesting!” Arerrk said. “Next question is if you play an instrument and if so which one?”

“I play the viol, it’s the only one I know how to play - my mother taught me.”

She nodded, “That’ll lead us to the next question, in the future could you see yourself settling down and starting a family?”

“I don’t- um. _No_.” Mordai squeaked, flushing. “I don’t see myself as settling down anywhere for awhile - I want to see everything the world has to offer.”

“Moving on then,” She said, laughing. “If you had to change your name, what would your new name be and why would you chose that name?"

“Maverick Muffins.” He said at once, then flushed at the look that earned him. “It’s - uh, an inside joke for me and two other people I knew. I don’t think I could really explain - or at least give the story justice - but we decided that, if we needed to use a false name, mine would be ‘Maverick Muffins’. Theirs were _Apostate Marmalade_ and _Dissenter Doughnuts_.”

Arerrk laughed, “Well now I’m going to change up the question order because I _really_ want to know now - if it were up to you, what would the name of the party be?"

“ _Sudden Narcolepsy_ ,” Mordai says. “Or maybe, _Some Mistakes Were Made_.”

She shook her head. "So, what do you think of your traveling companions? I'm sure we'd all love to know."

“They’re….something.” He said, shrugging. “I think it would be easier if you specifically say one name and then I answer.”

“Very well, how about Adler? What do you think of them?”

"I think Adler is strange...kind of suspicious - well, _really_ suspicious. I mean why the hell were they just hanging around at Glassstaff's place, just how _much_ of a coincidence was it they were there at the right place and time to save us from the rock monster?" Mordai shakes his head. "I don't know, I don't trust them." He paused then, flushing purple slightly, whined, "They're too fucking pretty it's not _fair-_ "

“They’re rather striking.” Arerrk said agreeably. “Now how about Hugg?”

“Hugg is….odd. Unpredictable.” He shrugged. “I don’t get her — she collects skulls, you know? That’s kind of….yeah.”

“Yes, I saw that.” She said with the voice of someone who wished that they _hadn’t_ seen that. “What about Anthymia?”

“Spiro has sworn eternal vengeance against Anthymia, I don’t think she’s noticed it yet.” He said. “She’s weird too, oddly insecure despite her ability to heal people. She tends to go overboard when attacking people, despite repeatedly saying she doesn’t want to kill - or that she can’t? I don’t know, it’s suspicious to say the least.”

“And Hrid?”

“He’s - _Hrid_. He’s an okay guy, over all, I think - a good dad to Perry despite some unfortunate incidents. I really wish that he and Sol would just - _kiss already_.” He paused then, since he already mentioned them, went on. “Sol’s kind of scary - intimidating? She’s like an alley cat, Spiro insists that she’s going to rip our throat out in our sleep. Perry cute - really funny, it’s interesting trying to think up things to make her.”

“Finally, what are your thoughts about Pestis?”

“I _really_ don’t get him.” Mordai complained. “He can be really intimidating and domineering, which is really hot, but then he’ll heal the people who tried to kill us and even apologized to me for killing an enemy? I mean, _what the actual fuck_? How can anyone be that - _nice_? Then he gave me ten gold to buy food, around when we first met, and he didn’t even go with me to make sure I actually bought the food - _who does that?_ And then he got upset about answering a question and stormed off so I made him a blanket as an apology only for _him_ to try and apologize to _me_. He has a familiar that _adores_ him, offered to figure out a health potion recipe that I’m _not_ allergic to and _he compliments the items I make_. I just- I _can’t_.” He whined, “He’s really nice but I don’t understand him _at all_ and I am seventy-five percent sure he’s actually just an animated plague doctor’s outfit instead of an actual person.”

“Oh wow,” Arerrk blinked at him. “Okay then. What’s the dumbest way you’ve been injured?”

He sighed. _Loudly_. “I cast Sleep and knocked myself unconscious - I got a bruise when one of the others woke me up.”

She blinked again but, mercifully, did not comment. “Do you have any words that inspire you?”

“My mom told me a lot of things that I find inspiring,” Mordai started. “But the wizard who taught me magic said something to me that I’ll never forget - that I even named my familiar after as a reminder. _Dum Spiro Spero_ \- while I breathe, I hope.” He hesitated a beat but went on, “It’s a reminder that, as long as I am still alive, there’s hope things will get better - to _never_ give up.”

“That is rather inspiring...what’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?”

He snorted at the abrupt change but answered. “I guess it’d be raw meats? People tend to think that’s weird.”

“ _I know_.” She said feverently.

“I mean, I get that our biology is different and everything but _let me eat my meat as I like it_.”

“Yes. Do they make faces if you eat the bones too?”

“ _Yes_. I don’t get that! If I am eating meat of course I am going to eat the bone also - it’s _healthy_!”

Arerrk shook her head, the vibrant blue-and-green feathers at her neck ruffling. “Next question. What ridiculous thing has someone tricked you into doing or believing?"

Mordai flushed immediately. “When I was seven my mom told me that there were _garden gnomes_ living behind our house. She said that there were smaller then all the other gnomes were but they also protected your plants from diseases and insects if you pay them proper tribute once a month…..the proper tribute being singing a certain song in Infernal while you dance in a circle made of stones.”

“And how - how long did you believe this?”

“........until I was twelve.” He admitted eventually.

She coughed. “What's something stupid you've done that you don't want others to know about?"

He flushed even darker. “I like sex, okay, and traveling with a group like this - with a _kid_ \- doesn’t really allow for any opportunities for...release. So we were in an inn once, and I got my own room where I tried to have some - fun. Except - except I didn’t have anything to _use_? So I tried to use my tail and it got _stuck_ .” He covered his face. “I had to send Spiro to go get some oil for me to get it free and later, when I went to get it healed, I said that I dropped a lantern on it. _They can never know_.”

“Oh, well.” She said then moved on. “Were you ever arrested when you were younger?"

“Yes, that’s the same story for where the names ‘Maverick Muffins’, ‘Apostate Marmalade’ and ‘Dissenter Doughnuts’ came from.”

“This is our second to last question, what's one memory that really stands out to you?"

Mordai took a moment to think about it before he answered. “I remember the first time I went to a Sunkiln. It was so dark traveling there, even darkvision couldn’t see away from the torch as we made our way deep underground but, then, we _could_ see. There was light everywhere and it was so _warm_ , it was such a strange and wonderful experience.”

Arerrk nodded thoughtfully, “Now our last question before you are free to go - if you could know the absolute and total truth to one question, what question would you ask?"

“If I had once one question,” Mordai said as he stood and made for the door. The truthspell he agreed to go under for the duration tugged at him to answer but he didn’t have to _stay_ further. “I would ask _what happened to my little sister after I left?_ ”

And then he walked out the room, ending the interview.


End file.
